Fresh-made Tsoureki from Artion Bakery in Astoria.
Photo credit: Artion Bakery
With Greek Orthodox Easter just days away, Astoria is buzzing as locals rush to check off their shopping lists at Greek markets and bakeries to prepare for family and close friends to visit and slow down for the day to connect, celebrate, and indulge in dishes that remind them of home.
One traditional dish, called Tsoureki, is a mainstay of the holiday, a glossy braided loaf with nutty, cherry-like notes, often ornate with red Easter eggs, popular for enjoying on Easter morning with a hot cup of coffee, but just as perfect on Sunday afternoon for something special, but not too sweet to indulge in.
As Holy Week winds down, there are plenty of Greek bakeries in the neighborhood baking an assortment of goods, from Koulourakia, or Easter butter cookies, known for their slightly sweet, buttery taste with hints of citrus and vanilla, to Baklava, made of delicate layers of phyllo dough and dripping in honey. Whether you’re looking to find the best Tsoureki or you’re looking for a new favorite go-to place, here are some bakeries in the neighborhood to get your freshly baked Tsoureki for Greek Easter.
Victory Sweet Shop
21-69 Steinway St., Astoria
718-274-2087
Instagram: @victorysweetshop
Victory Sweet Shop is a longstanding bakery that has been part of the Queens community since 1968. The bakery specializes in handmade Tsoureki, baked in-house with imported ingredients, like its Mahlepi and Mastiha, which give Tsoureki its intoxicating aroma. Victory Sweet Shop’s Easter Tsoureki even comes in different shapes for the holiday, including braided, round, and a bunny shape, and topped with a red egg.
Artion Bakery
23-18 31st St., Astoria
347-617-1400
Instagram: @artion.bakery
Artion Bakery is an expansive Greek pastry shop with an assortment of goods, from freshly-made bread to traditional cookies like ladokouloura, a Greek olive oil cookie with a blend of citrus, cinnamon, and cloves, to pastries like Kataifi and baklava. The bakery also specializes in Tsoureki, which is freshly baked to order and garnished with sesame seeds or almond slices. For Easter, they offer Tsoureki in shapes like crosses, loaves, and a ring, each garnished with red eggs and wrapped in colorful bows, perfect for hosting dinner or bringing as a gift to a loved one’s home for the holiday.
New York Bakery Cafe
32-06 30th Ave., Astoria
718-267-1010
Instagram: @newyorkbakerycafe
New York Bakery Cafe has a wide variety of pastries and desserts, from Italian favorites like cannoli and tiramisu to chocolate mousse cake and cheesecakes in flavors like caramel, Oreo, and red velvet. The bakery, which makes everything in-house, also has an expansive range of Greek pastries and treats, from ekmek kataifi, a dessert made of a shredded phyllo base that’s soaked in syrup and filled with delicious custard and cream, to tolumbes, a golden fried pastry
Titan Foods
23-53 Steinway St., Astoria
Instagram: @titanfoods
Titan Foods is an expansive Greek specialty food store that’s been a staple for the Queens community and a perfect go-to spot to check everything off your shopping list for Easter Sunday, including baking supplies, imported items, and a hot food section with freshly made spanakopita and marinated octopus. The supermarket also boasts a bakery with freshly baked Tsoureki, garnished with almond slices, and available with or without a red Easter egg.
Mediterranean Foods
30-12 34th St., Astoria
22-78 35th St., Astoria
718-728-6166
Instagram: @mediterraneanfoodsnyc
Mediterranean Foods is another Astoria staple that has been part of the neighborhood since 1974, with an expansive selection of imported Greek and Mediterranean items, including Greek cheeses, olive oil, coffee, spices, and much more. The expansive supermarket also has freshly baked goods, including Easter gift boxes, cookies, bread, and Tsoureki, with and without the red egg for Easter Sunday.
